All His Quarries
by Archaeobee
Summary: Madame Giry recalls the eerie disappearance of Christine Daaé and the Phantom, months after Don Juan Triumphant. Oneshot. Reposted.


_**All His Quarries**_

_By __Dream Descends_

A biting wind was blowing through the cemetery that dreary morning in Paris, the land and sky seeming to blend together in one endless blanket of white. Infinite lines of headstones stretched as far as the eye could see, and the world seemed as dead and silent inside its iron fences as the individuals buried on its grounds. At first glance, one would take the place to be completely empty, but deep into the labyrinth of monuments, a statuesque figure, clad in black, stood as still as the tombstones around her. Only the flutter of her shawl gave away that she was not one herself.

_Oh, Erik, _thought Madame Vienne Giry despairingly. _Would that you had never loved her. Would that it had never come to this._

She stood before a towering obelisk of a gravestone, surrounded by its own fence and with fresh flowers, covered in a light dusting of snow, atop its freshly dug surface. She did not know why she had come, a part of her was still crying out in indignation, demanding her to leave, but she stayed rooted to the spot. In all her years, she had never felt a loss so keenly, not even when her husband had passed away. And it was not just for the man laid to rest before her, but also for the two others that had vanished following his death.

Her life seemed to have reached a dead end, with her career burned to the ground along with the Opera Populaire not half a year ago, and her daughter engaged to a Baron faraway, she had nothing left to live for. She had completed what she had set out to do in this world, she thought, and now, though it was an odd though for someone her age, she was ready for death; ready to be buried in this cemetery, alongside this man whose life was cut short for love's sake, to be mourned and remembered as he now was.

Her only wish was that she might discover what had become of the girl she had come to think of as a daughter, who had disappeared that gruesome night still fresh in her mind, the night of the Phantom's Opera.

_**Not half a year ago…**_

_Christine turned as she heard footsteps descending down to the Opera Populaire's tiny cathedral. Her eyes were red and the light in them dim, dying away with each passing breath. Her once flushed cheeks and porcelain complexion had transformed overnight to an ashen, haunted countenance. She looked like a woman on death's door. It was only the man she loved who could bring back a glimmer of who she once was, and it was he who approached her now._

"_Raoul, I'm frightened, don't make me do this," she begged him piteously, still kneeling before the cathedral's shrine. He walked slowly towards her, adoration and concern obvious in his eyes. "It scares me…Don't put me through this ordeal by fire. He'll take me, I know. We'll be parted forever, he won't let me go." _

_She spoke with such a dreadful certainty, that Raoul felt an odd chilling premonition overcome him. He loved her with all he was, but he knew, to save her, he must put her through this. It aggrieved him beyond comprehension to see her like this, but it was the only way._

_He couldn't help but think of how beautiful she was as she gazed miserably at the stained glass. "What I once use to dream, I now dread," she whispered. Then she stood, her back to him, and moved towards the window._

"_And he'll always be there, singing songs in my head…_

_He'll always be there, singing songs in my head…"_

_She eased herself down onto the ledge, leaning her forehead against the glass. Raoul came and sat across from her, taking her ice-cold hands in his._

"_You said yourself, he was nothing but a man…_

_But while he lives, he'll haunt us 'til we're dead."_

_Raoul hated this man, this demon, for all the suffering Christine went through because of him. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, fearing the sight of him, trembling at the sight of men in black cloaks and avoiding mirrors as though the thought of her reflection terrified her. If he loved her, how could he stand to torture her in such a way? Her mind was consumed by his voice, his face…Raoul would be happy the day he managed to strike it from her memory forever._

_A single tear slid down her cheek._

"_Twisted every way, what answer can I give?_

_Am I to risk my life to win the chance to live?_

_Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice,_

_Do I become his prey, do I have any choice?"_

_Christine felt as though her heart had been taken and ripped apart by her Angel's hands, a piece of it living only for his beautiful song, the magic he had woven around her with his brilliant compositions, and the other desperate for light and freedom, a life away from this all-consuming darkness…a life with Raoul by her side…_

"_He kills without a thought, he murders all that's good!_

_I know I can't refuse, and yet, I wish I could—_

_Oh god, if I agree, what horrors wait for me?_

_In this, the Phantom's Opera…"_

_She finally moved her gaze from the snow drifting outside to Raoul's face, her eyes pleading him for salvation, an answer, anything to keep her from this horrific finale, this one last climax that decided her destiny._

"_Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care,_

_But every hope, and every prayer,_

_Rests on you now!"_

_And they embraced, her fingers clinging to his shirt for dear life as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. Tears blurred her vision as she turned his head to kiss him, and somewhere inside her, she knew it would be for the last time. By the time this nightmare came to an end, one of their lives would have ended along with it._

_**An Exert from the 'Époque', a week later:**_

"_The affair of the Opera Populaire fire is still being under investigation, chief of police M. Beaucoup tells Époque reporters, a new lead indicating that the top suspect of sabotaging the Opera's chandelier and six counts of murder may be currently journeying to England. The body found in the Opera's cellars has been identified as Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, a leading figure in society whose death will be looked into in the near future…_

_As for the disappearance of Mlle. Christine Daaé, an anonymous tip has lead police to believe that a man who goes only by the name 'Erik', and apparently resided under the opera house, may be partially accountable. This claim will be further investigated."_

The past ballet instructor sighed; a soft, dejected sigh, as she read the name on the tombstone:

_**Vicomte De Chagny**_

_A man of true courage and nobility,_

_Who left us to be honoured in Heaven,_

_as he should have been on Earth._

"You have destroyed so much _good_, Erik," she murmured, "when you could have created more beauty than the world has ever known." _Where are you now, with your prisoner of love, devil's child? What hell has she been condemned to live in for the rest of her days?_

It was then that she noticed a flower separate from the others, almost invisible in the snow. A single white rose, a black ribbon around its stem with a glittering diamond ring tied neatly into the knot.

_**FIN**_

**Author's Note: **Apologies for being so utterly dismal, but the plot bunny was so wretchedly vigorous, I could not leave it be. Normally, I am a die-hard Erik/Christine shipper, and my personal opinion of the Vicomte is not anything close to flattering. But, some things must be sacrificed for the sake of a phanphic. I promised to respond to every review I received for _Light_ and _What Raging Fires_, and I do not give my word without due consideration. Again, a huge thanks to all who gave me feedback, reviews are quite literally the light of my life.

**convoitez: **It always seemed to me that they should include the story of his name in the movie, I had to give it some relevance in the phic. Thanks for reviewing!

**Sango-2099:** -blush- You're too kind.

**Mandy:** Don't we all wish it did end that way! You flatter me

**Solitaire-Me:** The best! ' Thanks!

**Venus725:** Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Alexa:** The lyrics really move me, all the songs have such deep meanings, they're far too important to be written lightly. Thank you for the feedback!

**LillyFair:** Thanks for reviewing

**Angel of Music:** Definitely the real man. Raoul is a bit of a fop, honestly. Wow, I'm such a hypocrite; honestly, am I allowed to still say that after I just wrote this phic!

**keylimepie:** Somehow, sappy and Phantom of the Opera don't seem to fit into one sentence together, do they?

**Michelle:** I'm so glad you think so.

**Nade-Naberrie:** I know how you feel, this phic was written mostly out of guilt for thinking so many bad things about our Vicomte. But, Erik is just so— you know?

**throne-gal:** thanks -hands Kleenex-

**who-am-I-91:** You give me too much credit, thanks for the feedback

**monroe-mary:** -grin- Well, honestly, who would notice him when Erik's in the room?

**neo-lover72: **I know the feeling . ' glad I could help!

**MenacerPhan:** I was honestly terrified that it was shabby compared to all the others I'd read, I'm so elated that you think so!

**Kristen:** I adored every syllable of your review! Don't stop!

**andi:** Well, I have this silly hope in my mind that Erik's mother left him some lovely manse somewhere in the countryside, and he took Christine through one of his secret passageways and they lived happily ever after. But, we'll never know, will we?

**EmailyGirl:** Well, here's the next one then! But, I doubt it will be as popular, because it's not E/C –sob- What have I done!

**anithene:** You are indeed correct, I think I mistyped the lyrics there! I'll have to fix it! Thank you for the positive feedback

**PickledishKiller:** The past three phics have been indisputable one-shots, but I assure you I have an idea for a longer one currently in the works!

**Nora:** Christine is indeed my middle name, and now that I have something nicer to associate it with than all the repulsive Christines I've encountered over the ages, I think I might use it more often!

**Erik'sTrueAngel:** It's most definitely my favourite scene in the movie Thanks for the review!

**Shari:** Thanks very much '

**starnat:** Thanks, please keep reviewing!

**Entr'acte Sprite:** I think I don't need telling to know . I think all of us Erik phans wish generally the same thing as you

**SilverRose12:** Thank you!

_Phew._ I'm so pleased with myself for replying to you all! Please, don't stop reviewing, it keeps me writing!

Ta, loves.


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